Wednesday, July 25, 2007

BIDDY’S


Development has arrived in the Gleann. Biddy’s, the iconic pub, is being transformed. A new wing is being built to accommodate the hoards of expected tourists. In celebration of this growth the owners threw a foam party last week, the likes of which has never been seen before in GleannCholmCille. I did not attend – in fact I haven’t even been inside of Biddy’s this year. Most of the action has been taking place in Roarty’s, a more comfortable place to listen to music or to hold a conversation.
Apparently there are new owners of Biddy’s. They want to spruce the place up, make it more attractive to younger people. As with so much else in Ireland, though, there is very little planning. The addition looks like an attached shed rather than an integral part of the building. I don’t like the way the classic profile of the building has been changed. I think it would have been better to build the addition at the back where it would not have distracted from the traditional façade. The new Ireland, where function lords over form, is suspiciously like the old.

1 comment:

Mick T. said...

>As with so much else in Ireland, though, there is very little planning.

U can say that again!

>The addition looks like an attached shed rather than an integral part of the building

It looks like it might be deliberate, if it's not a regular permanent structure they might be able to use it as a smoking section (as it's classed as outdoors or as an outdoors section?). And maybe you can kinda sit outdoors in the shed thing even when it's raining?


But it does does ruin the lines of the building!